Universal joint



Patented Feb.. *3, 19h53.

rarnnr erster..

VILLIAll l-I. THIEMEER, OF CLEVELAND, Oli-IXO, ASSIGNOB TO THE PETERS MACHINE AND WANUFACTURING: COMPANY, OHIO.

Application led April 4,

ToI all whom t may concern.'

Be it lrnown that ll, l/VILLIAM H. Ti-IinMnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland. in the countyofi Cuyahoga and State ot Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful impro vement in Universal Joints, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings. j

This invention relates to universal joints, and the general object of the same is to pron vide such joints with efficient means for lubricating the journals or bearings thereof. More lin'litedly, the invention consists oi' the cooperating construction and arrangement of the parts whereby this lubrication is ei?- fected, as will be pointed out in the specification and covered by the combinations of elements embodied in the claims.

In the drawings forming part hereof and illustrating a means for accomplishing the objects ofl my invention, Fig. 1 represents a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a pair of universal joints and the shaft sections connected thereby and Fig. 2 a sectional view through the intermediate or Across member of one of such joints, the view corresponding to the line 2 2 oi Fig. 1.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein, 1 denotes a shaft section, said section being' provided at one end thereof with a chamberj2 for heavy oil or similar lubricant. From the opposite end of the chamber 2 the shaft there extends a bore 3 byl means of which the lubricant may be conducted to a` universal joint located at the end of the shait section opposite said chamber. To the chambered end of the shaft section there is secured a hub f1 having base flanges 5, which flanges may be of' the general type shown, described and claimed in the patent of Frederick W. Peters No. 1,304,901, issued May 27, 1919, each ot the base flanges being provided at cach side of the central portion thereof with a transverse rib or shoulder 6 adapted to engage the cooperating .tace 7 of a bearing block, said bearing block` being provided with a stem 9 projecting through a bore in the base flange and having on its end a nut 10 by means of which the block may be drawn to itsseat upon the said flange, the arrangement permitting the convement application VOf the blocks to'n the Welch plug OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF lU'NVERSAL JOINT.

1919. Serial No. 287,556.

yflange as well as their convenient removal thereof for the reception of a bushing 12,

the bushings supporting the opposite trunmons 13 of a cross member, indicated generally at 14. The end of the chamber 2 is closed by a plate 15 which may be of the type, being sprung under pressure into its seat 16. The other trunnions of the cross member 14 are ournaled in similar bearing blocks 8a mounted on .the base fianges 5a of a hub in secured to the end of a shaft section 1'?.

Theend of the shait section 1 which is opposite the chamber 2 is shown as having thereon anelongated hub 18 and secured in place by means ofi a shouldered or gland nut 18 threaded upon one end thereof, there being packing 18h interposed between the shoulder oi said 'nut and the adjacent end of the hub. l

The opposite end of the hub projects beyond the shaft section 1, providing a chamber 19 which is closed at its outer end by mea-ns ot a plate or plug 192 The hub 18 is provided with a base flange 5b substantiallyv identical with the fiange 5 and having shoulders ofL for the bearing blocks 8b, the said blocks being substantially identical with the blocks 8 and having the bores 11 and the bushings 12ZL receiving the trunnions 18av of the cross member 14a. The otherr trunnions of the crossI member are mounted. in bearing blocks 8c similar to the blocks 8b and secured in like manner to the base flange 5 of a hub 4b on a third shaft section indicated at 17a.

The bore of each bearing block is extended beyond the bushing and the trunnion therein to provide .a lubricant well 20, 20, and each trunnion is provided with an axial port 21, 21a, extending inwardly 'from said well. Each trunnion is also provided with a port formed by a groove or channel 22, 22? extending from its outer end to a point where 'it communicates with a passageway conducting lubricant thereto from the wells provided at opposite ends oft the shaft section 1. Lubricant is conducted from either end of the hollow shaft section to the ports 22, 22a,'by meansl of a pair of inclined ports 23, 23 leading through the base flanges 5 and 5* and through one side of and as far as the center of the studs 9 and 9 of the pair ot' bearing blocks mounted on such base flange. At their outer or delivery ends, the ports 23, 23 rommunicatemh with an axlal port 24, 24, respectively, extending t0 the bore of each of the four bearing `blocks 8, 8b, through a port 25, 25 in the bushing for each of the trunnions 1 3, 13 and communicating with the ports 22, 22. By this construction and arrangement of arts, 1ubricant from the lar weil or c amber 2 will be delivered to he Wells 20'and 20", formed within the bearing blocks 8 and 8". From these wells lubricant will be conducted inwardly through the ports 21 and 21e, throu h inclined erts ,26 1n each cross member, t rough axiall ports 2i` in each of the other pair of trunnions, of `each cross member, to the wells provided in the outer ends of the bearing hlcls 8 and 8, as indicated in dotted lines at 28, said wells being similar to the wells 20 and 20. From these wells, the lubricant will be distributed to the beati b means of ports 29 (shown in dotted mes similar to the ports 22, 22 and communicating with the spaces between the exterior of the trunnionsk 30 and the interior surface of the bushing 31. It will be understood that the arrangement of the bores, lubricant wells and bushings within the bearing blocks 8 and 8 will be substan tiallyl identical with the arran ent shown in detail for the blocks 8 and?.

By this construction and arran ement of the parts, lubricant the ow shaft section 1 will be delivered from wells at op posite ends thereof through ports formed within the bushings for one pair of trunnionsI of the cross member to the wells formed within the bearing blocks and thence through axial ports in the said trunnions and in the other trunnions of each cross member to wells in the bearing blocks for such other trunnions and thencetoports ovided in the outer surface of each of the fast mentioned trunnions to the bearings formed 'between the exterior surfaces o f thev last inentioned trunnions and the interior surfaces of their bushings. This construction and arrangement provides not onlyan efficient means for lubricating the trunnio; bearings, but a lubricant chamber of snc c aclty communicating therewith as will enab e the joints to be used for a long time without the necessity for refilling the chamber. The arrangement s such that lubricant will be'suplied from each chamber by centrifugal eion to the bearings notwithstanding t e fact that'the su ply of lubricant within the hollow shaft seciion and the chambers thereof may be materially diminlshed through use.

, ''e. @einen @can we@ the Lahn:

The ports 26 are commercially formed by drillin completely through the cross membei'. e ends are purposely left unclosed so that lubricant may be supplied through the extensions 26 thereof to the interior. ot the surrounding bushings, thereby provlding `each trunnion with two lubricating ports communicatin with the bushmgs yt erefor. The ports also .communicate with a central well 32 formed Within the `ring of thc cross member b cover plates 33, short ports 34 being provi ed for this purpose. These wells provide in effect expansion chambers to accommodate the pumpi action produced by the oscillations of e shaft section 1 and also ensure an ecient centrifugal distribution of lubricant through the ports 26 to the bearings.

The sliding connection between the hub 18 and end of the shaft section 1 causes an automatic pumping action from the shaft section to the bearings as the sa1d shaft Section oscillates, as through the movements of an automobile to which it may be attabbed.

Havin thus described my invention, what I c aim is:

1. In a universal joint, the combination of. a shaft section `having a lubricantl Well and a supporting base, beari carried by said base, a second shaft section having a base and bearings carried thereby, a cross member having trunnions jouinaled in said bearings, passageways for conducting lubricant from said well to the bearings, of its base, and passageways in said cross member extending from the last mentioned bearings to the other bearings.

2. yIn a universal joint, the combination of a shaft section having a lubricant well an y a supporting base, a pair of bearings on said base, each of said bearings bein ro vided with a well therebeyond, a secongslliaft section having a supporting base and a pair otbearings, each having a well therebeyoml. the first mentioned base having a pair of passageways therein each communicatiiwr with one of the iirst mentioned wells and with the bearing therefor. a cross member having trunnions mounted in said bearings means serving to conduct lubricant from thc wells of the first two bearin s to the wellsl provided in the second pair o bearings, and means vin each of the second pair of bearfor conducting lubricant from the well thereof to lits. bearing.

3. In a universal oint, the combination of a shaft section havlhrg a lubricant well and a @greeting ringstur'ied by said i .9. A connecting member `for universal joints comprising a ring having opposed pairs of trunnions pro acting therefrom, said ring having a centrai lubricant well, each trunnion being provided with an axial port, the inner end whereof communicates through a port or passageway in said ring with the inner end of an axial port in one of the trunnions constituting the other pair,

there being a port connecting each of the ports in said ring with the said well, the ports or passageways which connect the axial ports of the trunnons being extended across such axial ports and through the body of each trunnion.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. THIEMER. 

